Traffic returns to I-5 Skagit River bridge that collapsed last month

The Associated Press06.19.2013

Washington state workers remove an SUV and pickup truck from the deck of the collapsed Skagit River bridge in Mount Vernon, Wash. A temporary replacement bridge will open Wednesday.Scott Terrell, The Skagit Valley Herald, The Associated Press
/ The Associated Press; The Associated Press

People look on after the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed over the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Rick Lund
/ AP Photo/The Seattle Times

A portion of the Interstate 5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit River dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Frank Varga
/ AP Photo/Skagit Valley Herald

A portion of the Interstate 5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit River dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Frank Varga
/ AP Photo/Skagit Valley Herald

A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

Jeane Ebeling, right, of Mount Vernon, and Allee McCoy, second from right, of Mount Vernon look at the collapsed bridge in the Skagit River. A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A damaged truck sits in the water on a portion of the Interstate-5 bridge that is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A portion of the Interstate-5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A portion of the Interstate 5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit River dumping vehicles and people into the water as rescuers watch from the collapsed section of Interstate 5 and hovercraft search for survivors below in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Rick Lund
/ AP Photo/The Seattle Times

An upside down vehicle rests in the water after a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Jennifer Buchanan
/ AP Photo/Everett Daily Herald

A rescue boat and divers search near a portion of the Interstate-5 bridge that is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

Rescue workers look for victims after a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Jon Bauer
/ AP Photo/Everett Daily Herald

Crumpled steel is seen in the water after a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Jennifer Buchanan
/ AP Photo/Everett Daily Herald

A portion of the Interstate 5 bridge is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit River dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Frank Varga
/ AP Photo/Skagit Valley Herald

Rescue workers look over the edge where a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

Rescue workers look for victims after a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Jon Bauer
/ AP Photo/Everett Daily Herald

A person is removed from the wreckage of the collapsed Interstate-5 bridge in Mount Vernon, Wash. Thursday May 23, 2012. The Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit river collapsed north of Seattle Thursday evening, dumping two vehicles into the water and sparking a rescue effort by boats and divers as three injured people were pulled from the chilly waterway.Frank Varga
/ AP Photo/Skagit Valley Herald,

In this photo provided by Francisco Rodriguez, rescue workers form a human chain as they begin to remove a woman who reaches out from a smashed pickup truck that fell into the Skagit River after the collapse of the Interstate 5 bridgeThursday, May 23, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash.Francisco Rodriguez
/ AP Photo

In this photo provided by Francisco Rodriguez, a rescue boat approaches the scene where a pickup truck and a car fell into the Skagit River after the collapse of the Interstate 5 bridgeThursday, May 23, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash. (AP Photo/)Francisco Rodriguez
/ AP Photo

Wayne and Bernice James of California camp out in a Home Depot parking lot after an Interstate 5 bridge collapsed over the Skagit River between Mt. Vernon and Burlington on Thursday, May 23, 2013. Two cars and one travel trailer went in the water. There were no known fatalities. The couple hoped to wait out the traffic nightmare created by the bridge collapse. Officials worried that surface streets would be difficult to navigate on the upcoming holiday weekend.Joshua Trujillo
/ AP Photo/seattlepi.com

In this photo provided by Francisco Rodriguez, a man is seen sitting atop a car that fell into the Skagit River after the collapse of the Interstate 5 bridge there minutes earlier Thursday, May 23, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash.Francisco Rodriguez
/ AP photo

Rescue workers look over the scene after a portion of the Interstate 5 bridge collapsed into the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013.Rick Lund
/ AP Photo/Seattle Times

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee addresses the media at the scene of a bridge collapse into the Skagit River on Interstate 5 on May 23, 2013 near Mt. Vernon, Washington. People and cars were thrown into the river when the four-lane bridge collapsed. At least three people were rescued from the water but there have been no reported deaths. Police are investigating witnesses reports that a semi-truck may have struck the bridge causing the collapse.Stephen Brashea
/ Getty Images

An Interstate 5 bridge over a Skagit river collapsed north of Seattle Thursday evening May 23, 2013, dumping two vehicles into the water and sparking a rescue effort by boats and divers as three injured people were pulled from the chilly waterway. Early reports indicate this semi trailier may have struck the bridge.DEAN RUTZ
/ AP Photo/Seattle Times

In this photo provided by Francisco Rodriguez, a rescue boat approaches the scene where a pickup truck and a car fell into the Skagit River after the collapse of the Interstate 5 bridgeThursday, May 23, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash.Francisco Rodriguez
/ AP Photo

A collapsed portion of the Interstate 5 bridge lies at the Skagit River Friday, May 24, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash. A truck carrying an oversize load struck the four-lane bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below Thursday evening. All three occupants suffered only minor injuries. At an overnight news conference, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste blamed the collapse on a tractor-trailer carrying a tall load that hit an upper part of the span.Elaine Thompson
/ AP Photo

A worker looks at the collapsed portion of the Interstate 5 bridge at the Skagit River Friday, May 24, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash. A truck carrying an oversize load struck the four-lane bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below Thursday evening. All three occupants suffered only minor injuries. At an overnight news conference, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste blamed the collapse on a tractor-trailer carrying a tall load that hit an upper part of the span.Elaine Thompson
/ AP Photo

A rescue boat and divers search near a portion of the Interstate-5 bridge that is submerged after it collapsed into the Skagit river dumping vehicles and people into the water in Mount Vernon, Wash., Thursday, May 23, 2013 according to the Washington State Patrol.Joe Nicholson
/ AP Photo

A person looks from the south bank of the Skagit River across to the collapsed portion of the Interstate 5 bridge Friday, May 24, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash. A truck carrying an oversize load struck the four-lane bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below Thursday evening. All three occupants suffered only minor injuries. At an overnight news conference, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste blamed the collapse on a tractor-trailer carrying a tall load that hit an upper part of the span.Elaine Thompson
/ AP Photo

A collapsed portion of the Interstate 5 bridge lies at the Skagit River Friday, May 24, 2013, in Mount Vernon, Wash. A truck carrying an oversize load struck the four-lane bridge on the major thoroughfare between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below Thursday evening. All three occupants suffered only minor injuries. At an overnight news conference, Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste blamed the collapse on a tractor-trailer carrying a tall load that hit an upper part of the span.Elaine Thompson
/ AP Photo

Related

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. -- Cars and trucks are rolling again across the Interstate 5 Skagit River bridge, restoring the traffic flow on the main route between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.

A temporary span opened Wednesday morning, replacing a section of the bridge that collapsed May 23 when it was struck by a truck with an oversize load.

Workers with the state Department of Transportation and contractors rushed work on the temporary span to relieve drivers who lined up to detour through Mount Vernon and Burlington. The bridge carries 71,000 vehicles a day.

Those vehicles are back on the freeway, but they'll be slowed at the bridge where the speed is reduced to 40 mph because of narrow lanes on the 160-foot temporary section. It carries two 11-foot lanes in each direction. Oversized and overweight loads will still be detoured.

The temporary bridge pieces were supplied by Acrow Bridge through an emergency contract the Transportation Department signed with Atkinson Construction. The Max Kuney construction company of Spokane was selected Tuesday for a permanent replacement this fall.

The temporary span and replacement cost nearly $18 million. The federal Transportation Department is paying for all but about $1 million of the work.

Despite all the work, the 58-year-old bridge is still rated as "functionally obsolete" because it was not designed to handle today's traffic volume and big trucks. It's also "fracture critical," meaning that if a single, vital component is compromised, the bridge can crumple again.

In the accident last month, the driver of the oversized truck felt crowded by another southbound semi-truck on the bridge and the load struck a girder, causing one section of the bridge to fall, a preliminary National Transportation Safety Board report said. A final NTSB report on the cause of the bridge failure is likely months away.

A car and pickup truck went into the water and three people were rescued. Washington State Patrol Trooper Sean O'Connell was killed May 31 when his motorcycle collided with a truck while he was directing detoured traffic in Conway.

Saskatoon loves its Christmas lights. The Enchanted Forest draws thousands of vehicles each week. The late Bob Hinitt worked for months building his light display, which drew thousands of cars each year to Wiggins Avenue. And Scott Lambie on Clinkskill Drive has continued the tradition with more than 70,000 dancing lights (up from 50,000 last […]

When it comes to gift giving, they say it’s the thought that counts. But many are wondering if Mayor Drew Dilkens was thinking at all when he gave Olympic superstar Michael Phelps — whose battles with booze are well known — a big bottle of Canadian Club whisky.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.